Baltinglass Badminton Club secure three titles
THE South West Leinster League season drew to a close during last week with all grades from 1 to 7 having their league final play-offs, hosted at various centres around South Leinster. This year like many over the past decade, Baltinglass were well represented at the money end of the season, with our teams contesting the Grade 2 and Grade 3 finals.
First up on Tuesday in Athy RFC the Baltinglass Grade 2 team took on the mighty Lady Lane from Waterford, the League favourites from early in the season, this was always going to be a tough task, but a task the Baltinglass outfit did west Wicklow proud in.
Two-all at the break it was poised to be very tight but thanks to a set in second men’s slight advantage was with the Garden team.
First Mixed proved pivotal with Baltinglass securing it in two, however Lady Lane bounced back taking second mixed leaving third Mixed the pleasure of returning the match of the night in two sets, during which they saved two match points to win 23-21 and deliver the Grade 2 league title back to Baltinglass for the first time in 8 years, returning Grade 1 badminton to the club.
Next up it was the Grade 3 team, and again they faced off against the league favourites Ballinabranna, this one played in Carlow Lawn Tennis.
This young team rounded with well experienced players have confounded their opponents all season and the final was no different.
The Ballinabranna team turned up in very determined mood but our first ladies stood firm to take the all valuable first point, but quickly taken back by Ballinabranna’s powerhouse first men. The matched squared up at the halfway point at two all, but as in the Grade 2 final our second men took a valuable set.
First mixed went the Carlow way and indeed all looked lost but the match of the night was second mixed taking an enthralling point for the Wicklow outfit to square it again, our third mixed won in fine style leaving the stage open for fourth mixed to win a set to secure the title for Baltinglass which they duly obliged.
The achievement this team secured for our club is nothing short of amazing, as this is a run of 4 in a row league titles at Grade 3 made all the better the winning team must change half its personnel for each year.
The week was capped off by the clubs up and coming players, playing in the South West Leinster’s annual Under-17 Declan Casey event hosted by Vicarstown.
This time the Baltinglass team turned in as favourites and they didn’t disappoint the billing defeating Carlow YM in the opener followed by a gritty victory over Killoughey and a hard-fought third match against Myshall to set up a mouth-watering final against Naas.
The final was a close affair with the girls doubles going to the very strong girls from Naas, but our lads duly obliged settling it up by winning the boys doubles and the mixed securing a fantastic retention of this title the Baltinglass club won for the first time in 2019.
‘As with all events Baltinglass BC would like to extend its gratitude to all the volunteers involved from the league, without whom these things don’t happen, and of course to all the parents clocking up all those miles and to our coaches, Jennie, Sam and Azhar and all their own backroom team,’ said a club spokesperson.
‘We also extend a warm invitation to anyone who wants to pick up the racquet after an absence or trying for the first time, just call Colm 087 2379536,’ they added.